January 22, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Small establishments employ majority of private industry workers

In March 2001, over half of workers in private industry were employed at establishments that had fewer than 100 employees.

[Chart data—TXT]

Establishments with fewer than 100 workers accounted for 54.6 percent of private-industry employment. Another 16.7 percent worked in establishments employing 100 to 249 workers.

The smallest establishments—those with fewer than five workers—employed 6.3 percent of workers. The largest establishments—those with 1,000 or more employees—accounted for 11.7 percent.

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data. Data presented here are for all private-industry workers covered by State unemployment insurance programs. Data for 2001 are preliminary and subject to revision. Find more information on employment in 2001 in "Employment and Wages, Annual Averages, 2001," BLS Bulletin 2554.

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